BWW Previews: PRINCE OF BROADWAY at Tokyu Theatre Orb and Other Musicals Scheduled for Tokyo This Fall

by Bonny Loo

Japanese Language Productions

Before iTunes and Spotify came along, I used to collect every original cast CD of any Broadway or West End musical that I could lay my hands on, including foreign language cast recordings. By far, my largest collection of non-English cast CDs consists of Japanese cast recordings, many of which were released by Gekidan Shiki (Shiki Theatre Company). Over the last five decades, Shiki has mounted Japanese-language productions of Applause (1972), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), West Side Story (1974), A Chorus Line (1979), Evita (1982), Cats (1983), The Phantom of the Opera (1988), Crazy For You (1993), Beauty and the Beast (1995), The Lion King (1998), Aspects of Love (1999), Mamma Mia! (2002), Aida (2003), The Little Mermaid (2013), The Sound of Music (2013), Wicked (2013) and Aladdin (2015).

Despite my collection of Japanese cast CDs, I never had the chance on my previous trips to Japan to go to any theatre, mainly because I do not speak Japanese and had no idea where I could find relevant English-language information such as show listings, locations of theatres and how to book tickets etc.

For my return visit to Tokyo this October, I decided that I must check out local mountings of Broadway musicals. It was not hard to locate Shiki's website (http://www.shiki.jp/en) which was also available in English. In Tokyo alone, Shiki operates five different theatres, namely, Haru, Aki, Jiyu, Umi and Natsu with a combined seating capacity of almost 5,000: http://www.shiki.jp/en/theatres/index.html. I was thrilled to learn that Japanese versions of The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, A Chorus Line, The Sound of Music and Aladdin would all be playing in Tokyo during my visit there. With Chrome Translate, I attempted to fill out Shiki's online ticket reservations form which unfortunately did not seem to recognise non-Japanese surnames or forenames. The online form also required a Japanese mailing address and telephone number which, as a non-resident, I did not have.

Undeterred, I emailed my hotel to see if they could offer assistance. They replied the very next day pointing me to http://www.shiki.jp/en/ticketinfo.html and Shiki's reservation call center (+81-45-904-4711) which customers outside Japan could call from 10:00am to 6:00pm (Japan time) to request an English-speaking agent who would accept bookings with a credit card. I promptly called that number and spoke with a very helpful Japanese lady who secured me tickets to all the aforementioned shows (with the exception of Aladdin which, much to my chagrin, had been sold out until the end of the year).

Meanwhile, Toho Company will stage Japanese versions of Man of La Mancha (October 4 - 27, 2015) and Dance of the Vampire (November 3 - 30, 2015) at the Imperial Theatre this autumn: http://www.toho.co.jp/stage/teigeki/lineup/index.php.

Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine's Passion (my personal favourite about a sickly woman falling obsessively in love with a handsome army captain at an Italian military outpost) will be performed in Japanese at the 1,038-seat Playhouse of the New National Theatre of Tokyo from October 16 to November 8, 2015. Apparently, all tickets were sold out within minutes after booking opened to the public on August 1. Same-day tickets to "Z seats" (no more than 26 tickets per performance) at 1,620 yen each will be available at the Box Office (in person only - one ticket per person) from 10:00 am on the day of the performance: http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/productions/detail_006189.html.

English Language Productions

Those more interested in seeing Broadway musicals performed in English should check out the Tokyu Theatre Orb directly opposite Shibuya JR Station. This fall, the Orb will play host to Pippin (September 4 - 20), Top Hat (September 30 - October 12), Prince of Broadway (October 23 - November 22), Chicago (December 4 - 23), and Frank Wildhorn & Friends Japan Tour (December 26 - 27): http://theatre-orb.com/english/lineup/.

Of particular interest to Broadway buffs is, of course, the world premiere and pre-New York tryout of Prince of Broadway which celebrates the legendary Hal Prince, Broadway's most influential director and producer who has won 21 Tony Awards during his illustrious career spanning over half a century. Co-directed by Mr Prince and Susan Stroman (who will also supply the choreography), the show will feature a book by David Thompson with songs from shows originally produced and/or directed by Mr Prince, including Flora the Red Menace, Damn Yankees, West Side Story, She Loves Me, It's A Bird... It's A Plane... It's A Superman, Follies, A Little Night Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret and Phantom of the Opera. The starry Tokyo cast includes Josh Grisetti, Shuler Hensley, Ramin Karimloo, Nancy Opel, Bryonha Marie Parham, David Pittu, Emily Skinner, Tony Yazbek, Reon Yuzuki and Masachika Ichimura.

Tickets are available from My Bunkamura Online (which is available only in Japanese, but try using Chrome Translate) http://my.bunkamura.co.jp/ticket/ProgramDetail/index/1775 or by calling the Bunkamura Ticket Centre on +81-3-3477-9999 from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm (Japan time).

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